By using a condom during your intimate and private moments with your partner, you are reducing the risk of either one of you developing diseases transmitted through sexual intercourse as well as getting pregnant – if you and your partner aren’t planning on having a baby, yet.

If you aren’t yet very well-informed about condoms, you should know that there is a condom for males and a condom for females. Both work in much the same way in that it provides protection from STD’s and also serves as a contraceptive.

Female Condom Reviews

If you are looking to get a condom designed for females, you may want to read up on female condom reviews so as to get an idea of which ones are more comfortable to use and more importantly, which ones are truly effective.

Some, you should know, are prone to breaking during intercourse which totally defeats the purpose of using a condom.

Where can you find female condom reviews?

You can check forums online regarding discussions about female condoms. You might be surprised at just how many women are willing to share their own experiences with regards to using specific brands of female condoms.

You don’t necessarily have to join the discussion if you are uncomfortable discussing sex-related issues in public forums. Most of these forums allow guests to view their discussions so you can still read-up on what other women have to say about specific condoms designed for female use without making your presence felt.

Talk to Your OB-GYNE

The best person perhaps to ask about female condoms is your doctor. While female condom reviews can give you insider information about some of the more popular female condom brands out in the market today, your doctor is the best person to discuss everything you need to know about using condoms – and as thoroughly as possible at that.

More than knowing the “ins and outs” of using a condom, your doctor can also help you talk to your partner about your desire to use a condom – should he have expressed his desire otherwise – to ensure that you are protecting yourself in a way that is comfortable to you.

Lastly, your OB-GYNE can help you choose the right condom for you and also teach you how to use one since you may find that a female condom may not be so easy to put on as a condom designed for males.

But whether you read female condom reviews or you talk to your doctor about it, it is important that you learn as much as you can about using a female condom to ensure that you will be protected every time you engage in sexual intercourse with your partner.

Condoms are definitely one of the most convenient contraceptives to use. With the advance technology on our side, almost all worries about usage – lack of sensation, low percentage of reliability, etc. – have been taken cared of. So it is safe to say that condoms are generally one of the safest and most effective contraceptive tools out there.

Know about your Condom Size

There are many condoms available in the market. Different manufacturers have obliged to every fantasy, every need, every preference, and every demand that was thrown at them. Then again, while you are busy choosing your condom flavor, make sure that you do not forget one important thing. That is minding about your size.

Like clothing and apparel, condoms are available in different sizes. That’s because it is not advisable to use a tight or lose fit. Using what is comfortable for your penis size will give you the most advantage. That’s why you should always aim for the right size.

Try to understand that condom sizes are defined by every manufacturer. In the Western countries, the common sizes are Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large. However, the dimensions of those sizes are not always the same with every brand of condom.

Medium size condoms are considered as the regular size condoms. It is the average penis size of the majority of men. That’s why if you are not too sure what size are you, it is advisable that you pick medium first. You will be able to judge then, whether or not it fits.

Generally, medium-size condoms have a dimension of 6.5 inches in length and 4.1 inches in circumference.

Do You Have Qualms Buying Condoms?

Even at this Internet age of ours, some people still get embarrassed buying such a personal thing as condom. If they are too uncomfortable buying condos, they are also mortified asking out and knowing more about them. That explains why a lot of people have misconceptions about the use of condom and condom in general.

Well, that should not be the case. You should be open about getting as much information as you can about the proper usage of condoms. That is your best bet towards ensuring that you will be safe from STDs and from unwanted pregnancies.

If you become open about it, you will not only be able to identify what size is best for you. you will also be able to determine the best brands, the proper usage, and everything else in between.

A condom is used during sexual intercourse to protect men and women from getting sexually-transmitted diseases from their sexual partners. It is also intended to reduce the risk of being impregnated after engaging in a man-woman sexual intercourse.

There are condoms for men and condoms for women and usually, just one partner uses a condom during intercourse. In countries where using condoms is taboo, buying a condom can be regarded as something to be ashamed of or embarrassed about especially if one gets caught red-handed.

Buy Condoms Online

This situation can now be remedied with the availability of condoms on the internet. An adult individual can now buy condoms online, eliminating the risk of getting embarrassed or ashamed about being caught buying condoms by someone they know.

The “anonymity” provided online allows individuals to finally get the kind of protection that they need prior to engaging in an intimate relationship with their respective partners to avoid getting pregnant or worse, acquiring diseases usually spread during sexual intercourse.

Before you buy condoms online however, it is highly advised that you look at the various condoms available these days – as there are quite a few – taking careful note of the strength of the rubber particularly when stretched just to make sure that this will not break or rupture during intercourse.

There are also different sizes available, whether you are looking to get a condom made for males or females; and knowing what size is suitable for you will greatly determine the effectiveness of the condom with regards to doing its job of protecting you and your partner.

This factor is a very important consideration because usually, one will not know that the condom has ruptured until after intercourse; when it is removed. By then, it might already be too late to prevent consequences usually incurred after having unprotected sex.

Condom sizes are not standardized because companies make them in different widths and lengths. In addition, condoms constructed from natural rubber can be stretched to accommodate different lengths. The following are just some of the condom types and sizes from various brands.

Durex Condoms

Their Close Fit style is 178 mm long and is 49 mm wide. The Durex Sensation condoms are also 178 mm long and 52 mm wide. The ribbed condoms are 179 m long and have a width of 53 mm.

The Elite, Tingle, Select Flavors, Extra Safe, Performa and Featherlite are all 205 mm long. Their minimum width is 42 mm and the maximum is 63 mm.

The Avanti Ultima condom size is 205 mm (length) and 52/63 mm (minimum and maximum width, respectively). The Comfort XL is 251 mm long and has a maximum width of 63 mm. The minimum width is 54 mm.

Lifestyle Condoms

The baggy, straight, ribbed, studded, and flared are all between 150 to 200 mm long. They are all 52 mm wide. The contoured style is between 160-200 mm long and 49 mm wide. Their extra large is 195-200 mm long and 56 mm wide.

Kimono Condoms

The textured, MicroThin (Ultra Lubricated/Ultra Thin) and thin are 190 mm long and 52 mm wide. Their MAXX and MicroThin Large styles are 195 mm long and 59.5/52 mm wide.

Why the Condom Size is Important

If the condom is too small, it can be very uncomfortable. If the condom is too big, it is going to slip off. A condom that is too large is a more likely problem.

Most of the condoms sold today are very stretchable. Often, the discomfort arises from a not so stretchable tip. In many cases, manufacturers make condoms that have the same body width as the standard condom, but the head is larger.

This is very beneficial because it’s the condom head that is usually tight. The body size is hardly a problem because condoms today are very stretchable.

How to Find the Right Size

This can be tricky as condom brands have their own sizing systems. For example, brands have their own notion as to what is regular or extra large. The best option is to buy several types of condoms and see which fits you best.

What are Condoms Made From?

A condom is usually constructed from polyurethane or latex. Latex is more widely available and is considered by many as safer to use. The latex condom can only be utilized with water based lubricants. They cannot be used with lubricants that are oil based. Some people are allergic to latex. If that is the case, use polyurethane.

Polyurethane condoms are thinner than latex, so it is preferred by a lot of people. However they are not as flexible as latex and cost more. But water and oil lubricants can be used with them.

The many condom sizes means there is one guaranteed to fit you. Although there are still some who are hesitant about using condoms, the protection they offer against STDs makes them a must-have.

A lot of people don’t put much thought into the condoms they are buying. Usually what happens is, snatch one up from the counter; pay and then leave. However, there are several things that one needs to consider when buying condoms.

From condom size to the durability or strength even to the color and flavor; these factors contribute greatly to your intimacy with your partner and more importantly, they provide you with protection from sexually transmitted diseases, among other things.

Condom Sizes

Sizes come in varying degrees, usually dependent on the maker or manufacturer of the condom. Before men can find the right fit, they usually have to try several brands or sizes first.

The sizes can differ in length or width and sometimes, they only differ on the size of the tip of the condom. Sometimes the length and the width are similar in size but the tip of one is slightly wider than the other.

The important thing to remember when figuring out the right size for condoms is that they should not be ill-fitting in that they are too tight since they could really be uncomfortable.

They should also not be loose even a small fraction.

On the average, the standard length of condoms is about one hundred and seventy-eight millimeters. Width measurement usually starts at forty-nine millimeters in diameter to fifty-three millimeters.

Again, depending on the brand, the minimum and maximum length and width may slightly vary.

The length can go as high as two hundred and fifty-one millimeters while the width can reach up to sixty-six millimeters.

Shapes, Colors and Flavors

Contrary to what others may think, condoms come in various shapes. The shapes of the tip are usually what are called a reservoir tip and a plain tip.

The length on the other hand can be ribbed or those that have bumps; form-fitting or those that are indented just under the tip; and flared, or those that have a wider tip.

After you have selected the shape that you want, next things to consider are the color and then the flavor. Colors vary, from red to pink, yellow, green and blue; you can take your pick of your favorite colors from a wide variety of colored condoms out in the market today.

There are likewise different flavors that condoms come in. A number of these are sweet while others have a mint flavor.

The shape, flavor and color can significantly add to your enjoyment of your private moment with your partner, hence; it is important to discuss both your preferences on condoms so you and your partner can enjoy your intimacy on the same level of satisfaction.

Since you are reading this, you’re no doubt looking for the right condom size for your personal use. Before consulting a manufacturer’s condom size chart, let’s review what a condom’s function is and why size, in this case, really does matter.

A condom is an object used as an artificial means of contraception. It is made of stretchable material and is wrapped around a man’s genitals. As the organ lengthens during intercourse, the condom stretches along with it. A space at the top of the condom catches semen during ejaculation, so it doesn’t enter into the female.

Get the Right Size for You

Getting the right condom size is vital if you and your partner are to use condoms as an effective means of contraception. If the condom is too large, it will slip off or the semen may leak and spill out. If it is too small, it will cause discomfort and may tear apart during use. If the condom is too short for the length of the shaft, it can get pulled and up and removed while being used.

To get the right condom size for you, first determine your requirements. If you don’t know how to measure for this and detwermine size, here is how.

Tips on Measuring

First take an ordinary tape measure. You will use the millimeter units. It should go without saying that you will need to measure when fully erect. When it is at full length, take the ruler and measure from the base of the shaft (where it attaches to the body) to the tip of the head. This is the full length.

Next, take the tape measure and run it around the circumference. You must measure at the widest point. This is the girth. Research has found that the average length is 153mm or 6” while the average girth is 128mm or 5”. This can vary of course according to your age, ethnicity, height, etc.

Looking at condom size charts can be tricky. Like clothes manufacturers, condom brands each have their own ideas of “medium, “large,” “extra large” and so on. What may be large to one is medium to another. On average, a condom girth is about 98-106mm girth and 180mm long. If your size is well above or below this, you need to look harder and experiment more. Buy single condoms instead of packages. Try each one as you go and see what is most comfortable for you.

And a final reminder: Not every man can use a condom. Some may be allergic to the material used. So if you have a history of allergies or have sensitive skin, keep this in mind and discuss it with your partner and a doctor.

Some men do not relish discussing the different sizes of condoms. In fact, it seems to be one of the least discussed topics even among men. It is generally assumed that these things are really elastic so that they can accommodate every size from the smallest to the largest. However, the fact is that not all men are created equal and finding the right size may take some research. So, let's look as some facts first…

Why Bother with Condom Sizes?

There are two main reasons why men should at times think about getting a properly fitting condom. For one thing, which is more obvious for most men, it will be very uncomfortable if you wear one that is too tight. It will be greatly uncomfortable. Well, the discomfort usually comes from the tip since that part of the condom isn't as stretchy as the rest of the thing.

However, do take note that condoms can be very stretchable. You can pull one over a boot without it ever breaking. Of course, everyone will ultimately be happier with a condom that fits just right without having to tug at it with a bit of a struggle when it is needed.

The other reason why one should bother with the different condom sizes is the fact that if the condom is too big or loose, the chances are that the condom might just slip off during the times you really don't want it to. Now this is a bigger cause for alarm than having one that is too tight!

The Industry Accommodates

Of course, condom manufacturers have foreseen this event and thus they have manufactured condoms of different sizes. This is a big sigh of relief for some of the men who are struggling with this issue. The issue with the sizes of these condoms is where to make it bigger. Some manufacturers have made condoms that have larger heads while others have made ones that are larger on both the head and body. The choice of the type of adjustment to use is all up to the consumer.

Comparative Condom Sizes

Take note that each condom brand will have their own definition of what is a regular sized condom and what is a large-sized one. Remember that one brand's XL condom size may only be the other brand's regular condom size. This simply means you just can't trust what's on the label.

You can consult some documentation from the manufacturer's website to have a general idea but remember that it may require some experimentation just to find the dimensions that will be right for you. Here are some sample sizes of different brands out there. A Durex comfort XL is 251mm in length and has either a 63mm or 54mm width.

The dimensions of a Lifestyles brand extra large will be 195-200mm long and 56mm in width. Their regular sized straight type condoms are 150-200mm long and 52mm in width. A Kimono brand MAXX size is 195mm in length and 52mm in width. Given these dimensions, one should still try out different sizes from different brands just to get the perfect fit.